Jesus Stocking

We've stopped doing stockings as a family because they typically are filled with unnecessary small items that drive me crazy (imagine 20x4=80 things to pick up after!). But I've come up with a use for one of them...the Jesus Stocking!
We were going to have the girls keep a Shepherd's Pouch of their money they saved up to give as a birthday gift to Jesus on Christmas Eve, but I've decided to do this instead. The idea is that anyone in the family can slip bills or change into the stocking during advent and it will remain a mystery how much is inside until we empty it on Jesus birthday and decide what He would want us to do with it! The girls have been pouring over the Gospel For Asia Gift Catalog for weeks now imagining what they can buy for the poor. It truly takes their eyes off of what they want for Christmas. All they think about is how they could earn more money to give away. We could buy a sewing machine to give a woman a trade in India, buy a missionary a bicycle, chicks or goats for a starving family...the possibilities are endless. It's what brings us the most joy this time of year!!! Give it a try. I've got extra GFA or World Vision Gift Catalogs or you can request one at their website. www.gfa.org or www.WorldVision.org (We prefer Gospel for Asia since all money goes directly to the need and none to operating expenses and therefore the gifts are less expensive.)